1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to food storage equipment and, more specifically, to a cooler adapted for use in a marine environment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Coolers have long been used to maintain the temperature of objects inside of the coolers. Typical coolers include box and a lid made of a plastic shell filled with either air or an insulator. A user often puts ice into the cooler to keep the temperature inside cool.
Many conventional coolers do not work well in the marine environment. This is for several reasons. One problem with conventional coolers is that they are unitary devices in which everything is placed into the cooler. Placing certain things, such as bait and sandwiches, into a cooler may not work well. Sandwiches can become wet from melting ice and bait can contaminate the food contents of the cooler.
In the marine environment, a cooler is often packed tightly with respect to other objects. This may be necessary because of space limitations on boats. Most coolers have many things (such as locking mechanisms, drains spouts and handles) protruding from the outer surfaces of the coolers. These things can catch on the other objects, thereby making packing difficult. Also, when coolers are slid against other objects, the things that protrude from the coolers can be damaged by the other objects or they can damage the other objects.
The lids of conventional coolers are often sealed to the boxes by a single downwardly-extending seal. In the marine environment, if water is sprayed at the cooler (for example, as a result of a fresh water hosing down of a boat), the water will can migrate downwardly along the seal into the cooler.
Also, many coolers have flat bottoms. When the cooler is set down on a hot surface, such as the asphalt surface of a pier on a sunny day, a substantial amount of heat can be transferred to the cooler from the hot surface. This can greatly decrease the cooling capacity of the cooler.
Sometimes a user needs to lift the cooler, such as while lifting the cooler onto a boat. At other times, a pair of users will need to carry the cooler for a long distance, such as along the length of a pier. Most coolers are designed to facilitate either lifting of the cooler or carrying of the cooler, but not both.
Many coolers use a chord or a slideable arm to prevent the lid from overextending when being opened. Such chords and arm often bread with use and they can obstruct side access to the cooler.
Some coolers define circular drink holders in their lids. However, such drink holders do not provide a very good place to put such things a bait and objects larger than drinks. However, those engaged in fishing often need to place such things in holders so they do not roll away with the pitching and rolling of the boat.
Therefore, there is a need for a cooler especially adapted for the marine environment.